Last night in Boston, the UFC delivered Fight Night 59, with a main event that saw Conor McGregor defeat Dennis Siver to earn a shot at Jose Aldo’s Featherweight title. The co-main event featured Donald Cerrone defeating former lightweight champion Benson Henderson in a match that got as much press as the main event.
Cerrone came into the match (0-2) against Henderson, but riding a six-fight winning streak that left the “Cowboy” the hottest fighter on the UFC roster. Perhaps because of the (0-2) record, or perhaps because he fought just two weeks prior, Cerrone came in a slight underdog at (+115) and it never wavered from that. Cerrone paid off, and has now won seven in a row. Henderson is reeling, as he has now lost two in a row for the first time in his career and he is (2-3) in his last five.
Lorenz Larkin and John Howard fought a fast paced two plus minutes. Larkin hurt Howard with punches and did not let up until referee herb Dean stepped in to stop it. Larkin snaps a three-fight losing streak, while Howard has now lost three in a row with this latest disappointment.
Ireland’s Cathal Pendred earned a win over Sean Spencer. Chalk this one up to ‘Luck of the Irish”, as Spencer appeared to hurt Pendred throughout the fight with strikes, leaving Pendred’s bad wrestling as his best weapon. Most observers felt Spencer won the fight. Pendred is another of those Irish fighters with the potential for a huge following, but unfortunately it has been pretty evident since his appearance on the UFC’s reality series that he doesn’t have the talent to back it up.
Another Irishman, Norman Parke took his first loss in the UFC and his first loss in five years at the hands of Brazilian veteran Gleison Tibau. Tibau landed the harder strikes and was constantly moving forward on Parke. Though Parke falls to (20-3) via split decision, he showed a lot more skill than the aforementioned Pendred, who just looks flat footed and is not explosive at all. Tibau, who is now (15-7) in the UFC, has run off three wins in a row and owns five wins in his last six fights.
HERE is a UFC Fight Night Boston Video blog, a great look at the atmosphere around the fights with a focus on the “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone.
